Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for the wet-treatment, preferably the washing, of laundry, wherein the laundry is first washed and rinsed and, after rinsing, a neutralization of the laundry is carried out in that neutralizing agent is added as necessary to the liquid in which the laundry is located and/or which is bound in the laundry.
Prior Art
The wet-treatment of laundry is usually carried out by means of washing, rinsing and, if appropriate, at least one aftertreatment. One such type of aftertreatment can involve neutralization.
The neutralization of the washed laundry items is necessary if, for example, the wash liquid takes on an acidic or alkaline pH value resulting from treatment additives, for example detergents, employed during washing. The acidic or alkaline treatment fluid cannot be completely removed during the rinsing operation which follows the washing process. This applies in particular to the treatment liquid bound in the laundry items, that is to say, the bound liquor. Prior to the invention, the method employed to neutralize the bound treatment liquid after rinsing was to employ a neutralizing agent in an estimated quantity or based on values gained from practical experience. In general this results in an overdose of the neutralizing agent. This causes the pH value to shift from an acidic range to an alkaline one, or vice versa, so that a sufficient neutralization is no longer possible. Furthermore, an overdosage of the neutralizing agent adds to environmental pollution and results in unnecessary high costs.